Concern that Yorkshire could be even harder hit by ECB central contracts next season may lead to the cricket committee making a fresh attempt to sign the Huddersfield League's Caribbean-born paceman Lesroy Weekes.

The 29-year-old Thongsbridge fast bowler returned Yorkshire's second best figures of the season when he made an emergency appearance for them against the West Indies at Headingley in July and grabbed six for 56.

Yorkshire's coaching staff and cricket chairman Bob Platt felt Weekes would be just the man to have on hand next season to step in when Test calls and injuries deplete their line up of pace bowlers - as frequently happened last summer.

But the cricket committee's recommendation last month to sign up Weekes was rejected by the general committee on the casting vote of club chairman Keith Moss after one representative of the cricket committee had been unable to attend the full meeting.

Yorkshire's difficult financial situation was one reason for overturning the cricket committee's decision while some members also felt that Yorkshire have enough young talent without turning to a bowler as mature as Weekes.

Yet if Darren Gough and Craig White are joined on central contracts by Matthew Hoggard and if England 'A' tourists Chris Silverwood and Ryan Sidebottom also take a step up next summer, then Yorkshire could be struggling to turn out an experienced attack, particularly as there is still a question mark over Paul Hutchison's long-term fitness.

Weekes, who played for the Leeward Islands against England in Antigua on their tour of the West Indies in 1993-94, has proved time and again since then that he has the stamina to bowl long spells - which is something Yorkshire cannot ask their fledgling bowlers to do.